Characters:Eilomar, MerlishDescription: Eilomar has surprise to Merlish.Location:Harper HallDate: month 11, day 4 of Turn 9Notes: No, this time it's not a firelizard egg.

Eilomar really didn't know how to carry the squirming little thing.
Bloody critter had sharp claws too. When a fellow master had told
about his litter and offered them for free for anybody willing to take
one, he had thought that Merlish might like one. Now, he wondered if
he should have gotten basket for it. Or sack. But putting a living
thing in to a sack felt cruel to him.
"Stop wiggling, or I'll drop you," he muttered at it. "And if you claw
me again, I'll fed you to a watch-wher."

"Merlish, can you open the door? My hands are occupied," Eilomar
called from the door. He winced, now it was gnawing at his fingers.

"Yes, coming," Merlish called, wiping her hands on the towel she had
was about to use to dry the dishes. Expecting to find her husband
with his arms full of musical scores, she was not prepared for the
site that greeted her when she opened the door. "Husband, is that..."

"Yes, it is, a kitten, a baby feline. One of the masters got feline
for his daughter and it is now producing litteres on regular
interwals, the feline that is, not the daughter. He was offering them
so I thought you might like one," Eilomar explained and offered the
fur bundle to her.

"Miuw", the kitten meowed.

"Oh," Merlish said with a soft cry, her hands flying to her mouth as
she looked at the adorable giant blue eyes staring out of the silver
grey fluffy face. "So sweet!" She gave a happy little cry as she
reached out for the little ball of fur, cradling it close to her body.
"Really, I can keep it?" Hopeful eyes turned up to her husband's face.

"I wouldn't have brought it home if I you couldn't," Eilomar said.
"The little rascal has clawed me and gnawed my fingers." He inspected
the scratches. There weren't really a bad ones, not even bleeding.

"It's probably just hungry is all. Is it a boy or a girl?" she asked,
turning him over to check, having had experience with kittens back
home when they kept felines around to guard against tunnel snakes.
"Ah. Definitely a boy."

"I take your word on it," Eilomar said with dry tone. He was not going
to check its...his gender.
"I hope you know how to take care of one," something he should have
thought before he offered to take that furball home for his wife.

"Oh yes, lots of experience," she said, grinning as the little grey
tabby tried to climb higher up to nuzzle her neck. "Oh, well aren't
you the friendliest little darling," Merlish said, turning back into
the cot. Let's see if I can't find you something to eat. I think I
have some cold meats left over from lunch I can rip up for you. You'd
like that, wouldn't you."

"How about my lunch?" Eilomar asked.

"Oh, yes, of course," Merlish said, her brow knitting just a bit.
"But he really is hungry. Let me sort him out first. Here," she
said, holding the feline out for her husband to take. "Hold him close
to your body if you want to save your fingers."

"Right," Eilomar sighed and tried to hold him the way Merlish had hold
him. It seemed to go much better this time, less squirming. The thing
was actually now rubbing his head against his chest. Kind of nice
actually.